My photos from Tamil Nadu
Alagarkoil - Vishnu temple I Cidambaram - Shiva temple I Kancipuram temples I Kanyakumari I Kumbhakonam temple I Life member temple I Madhurai - Menakshi temple I Madhurankatam - Rama temple I Madras, Chenai - Parthasarathi temple I Mahabalipurnam - Shore temple I Ramesvaram - Ramananthaswami Temple I Sri Rangam - Ranganathaswami Temple I Tanjore -Brihadeeshwara Temple I Tirunnamalai - Ramana Maharishi asrama I Uramellaneyan temple
Tamil Nadu
Population: 61 million
Capital: Chennai (Madras)
Area: 130,069 sq km
Best Time to Visit: January to April and September
Main Language: Tamil
Literacy Rate: 65%
Tamil Nadu is located at the southeast edge of India. Karnataka and Kerala are to the west and Andhra Pradesh is to the north. The main attraction of Tamil Nadu is its magnificent temples and towering gopurams (gateway towers), which can be seen all over the state. In Tamil Nadu there are more than 30,000 temples, which have earned it the name “Land of Temples.”
Tamil Nadu also has nice beaches, some good hill stations and wildlife reserves. It is also the home of the Bharat Natyam classical dance form. There are many temples that can be visited, but Madurai and Srirangam (Tiruchirapalli) are likely to be the most interesting. Both places have very impressive temples, and the cities that they are in are pleasant and have good facilities.
Mamallapuram has impressive monuments and is a nice place to spend a couple days. Kanchipuram has a number of outstanding temples. Tamil Nadu has two good hill stations, Kodaikanal and Ooty. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Anamalai Sanctuary are two good parks worth visiting. Vedantangal, near Chennai, has a large bird population in the winter.
About 85% of the population speak Tamil. Most people in Tamil Nadu speak at least a little English. Because of a strong pride in their local language, many of the people refuse to speak any Hindi at all. People greet each other in Tamil Nadu by saying vanakkam, which means namaste, or “respectful greetings.”
The weather in Tamil Nadu usually reaches a high of 32°C (90°F) during the day, and it is usually hot all year around. The northeast monsoon brings plenty of rain from October to December.
History The Mauryan Empire, which controlled most of India in the 3rd century BC, never ruled Tamil Nadu. During this time Tamil Nadu was ruled by three dynasties: the Pandyas, Cholas and Cheras. In the 4th century AD, the Pallavas gained control of a good part of Tamil Nadu. In the 9th century, the Chola kingdom became dominant and eventually ruled most of South India. The Pandyas ruled from 1175 until 1300. Starting in the 14th century, certain parts of Tamil Nadu were ruled by the Vijayanagar Empire.
Temples in Tamil Nadu Most of the Vishnu temples in Tamil Nadu are dedicated directly to Lord Vishnu, not his avatars (incarnations). Some of the most important Vishnu temples in Tamil Nadu are Ranganatha Swami in Srirangam, Varadaraja Perumal in Kanchipuram, Lord Sarangapani at Kumbakonam, and Alagar Koil near Madurai. Lord Siva:Element linga. Siva is worshiped as five elements—sky or space in Chidambaram, water in Tiruvanaikkaval, fire in Tiruvannamalai, earth in Kanchipuram, and air in Sri Kalahasti, Andhra Pradesh. The Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram is one of the most famous Siva temples in India.
The most important Parvati temples are Meenakshi at Madurai and Kamakshi in Kanchipuram. Subrahmanya (Kartikeya), the son of Lord Siva and brother of Ganesh, has important temples dedicated to him. There are six main temples of Subrahmanya located at Tiruttani, Swamimalai, Palani, Thiruparankunram, Parlamudircholai, and Tiruchendur.
